While Villa Gloria resident Herclaas Otto (65) saved his family and three pets from the devastating fire at the commune for the destitute in Krugersdorp, Gauteng, on Saturday, his heroic act came at a cost – his foot had to be amputated following a gas bottle explosion.

Herclaas and his wife Elize (58) were in bed when they saw a fire through the gaps in their front door.

He told Elize to get their two dogs and get away from the fire, while he went to get their cat, Matewis.

Herclaas was at the neighbour’s front door, metres from his house, when a gas bottle inside one of the burning buildings exploded and his foot was badly injured. Elize called for help and two men came and dragged Herclaas away from the fire. When emergency services arrived, they bandaged his foot.

“They told us it looked like he would be OK,” she says.

However, once at hospital, they were told that a piece of Herclaas’ foot was missing and it had to be amputated.

The cat was later found safe under their bed.

Elize says her husband is very emotional. “One of the first things he said to me was that he won’t be able to work and look after me now.”

Herclaas lost his boilermaker job about three months ago and the couple had to scale down. They moved to Villa Gloria three weeks ago.

Elize describes Herclaas as a proud man who gets frustrated when he struggles, and says it will be difficult for him without his foot. “He just wants to come home, he does not like hospitals,” she adds.

While Herclaas will need a wheelchair, the couple’s home – which did not burn down in the fire – is not wheelchair friendly. Elize hopes that someone will be able to help them with a prosthetic foot.